Improvement in wash-boilers



W. H. HOPKINS.

WASH-BOILER.

No. 185,678, Patented Dec. 26,1876.

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NTTED STATES PATENT @Errea WILLIAM H. HOPKINS, OF MILFORD, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASH-BOILERS.

Specitication forming part of Letters Patent No. I 85,678, datedDecember 26, 1876; application filed November 29, 1876.

'l'o all ywhom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM H. HOPKINS, oi Milford, in the county ofOakland and State of Michigan, have invented certain new andusei'ul'lmprovements on a Wash-Boiler, and I do hereby declare that thefollowing description of my said invention, taken in connection with theaccompanying sheet of drawings, forms ai'ull, clear, and exactspecification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

rlhis invention relates to wash-boilers; and it consists in thecombination, with a suitable receptacle containing the liquid, ofaperforated bottom, placed at some distance from the bot toni of saidreceptacle, said bottom being provided with a series of horizontalconduits or passages corresponding to the number of rows of perforationson its bottom side, and with two conical tubes on its upper side, saidtubes being connected by a horizontal tube having a number ofdischarge-nozzles, to throw the suds rising in the upright tubes overthe entire surface of the clothes to be boiled, in a manner ashereinafter fully set forth and described.

In the drawings, heretofore mentioned, which form apart of thisspecification, and serve to illustrate my invention more fully, Figure lis a longitudinal sectional, and Fig. 2 a transverse sectional,elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan.

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters of reference in allthe figures.

A is an oblong vessel, constructed of suitable material-such as tin,copper, Svcconsisting of a bottom, A', double seamed, and soldered tothe sides A, whose upper edges are wired for strength, and provided withears or i bails c, for portability of the device. If desired, the bottomA may be dished or provided with one or more annular depressions, to itthe holes in the top plate of a stove, range, &c. Within this vessel Ais placed a bottom, B, having an exterior surrounding rim, b, to supportthe same, at a suitable distance from the bottom A. This bottom B isprovided with a series of four or more longitudinal rows ofperforations, b', and with a corresponding series of channels, C,produced of sheet metal, properly bent and soldered to the lower side ofsaid bottom, so that these channels will correspond with thelongitudinal rows of perforations b. Centrally the space between thebottom A and B is divided into two compartments by the partition-wall L.Attached to the upper side of the bottom B are two obliqnely-arrangedtapering tubes, l) 1)', ending in the quarter-turns d d. These tubescommunicate with the space between the bottoms A B, and are connectedtogether on their smallerends by the horizontal tube E. On the lowerside of said tube E are arranged a number of nozzles, j', whose axialline corresponds to that of the upright tubes D D. The perforated bottomfits the interior of the vessel A snugly, and it, together with itsappurtenants, may be removed therefrom or inserted therein at pleasure,the horizontal tube, in conjunction with the upright tubes, serving as ahandle for that purpose.

In operation my wash-boiler differs from others in so far that the hotsuds rising within the tubes D D', and passing the horizontal tube E,are discharged through the respective nozzles f. These are so arrangedas to direct the streams into thc center of the boiler, over theentirelongitudinal portion thereof, while said horizontal tube E, owingto the inclination ofthe upright tubes, is placed on one side thereof,in order to facilitate the introduction and removal of the clothes to beboiled. The upright tubes are tapering, and largest on their lower end,to produce a good circulation within the boiler, so that, when theboiling suds rise from below the perforated bottom, together with alarge volume of steam, which, when reaching the higher stratum of acomparatively lower temperature, condenses, and thereby reduces thevolume, said tubes are reduced in size in proportion to said reduction,and thereby better conne said suds, and

assist in their circulation or upward movement. The turns d are of avery easy curvature, so as to offer as little frictional resistance tothe ascending liquid as is possible in a structure of the kinddescribed. In their downward course the suds pass through the perforatedbottom into the horizontal channels below said perforations, and are bythem directed toward both sides of the boiler. In this manner the liquidremaining between the perforated bottom and the bottom of the boiler isperfectly motionless, or nearly so, and particularly so on account ofthe introduction of the transverse partition L, which separates thespace below into two distinct compartments, which allows the depositionof particles of dirt and other solid and heavier substances carried downfrom the clothes to settle in these apartments, whereby the clothes aresupplied with a continuous stream ot cleaner suds, and are betterboiled, and when removed are in a cleaner condition than they would beif such action had not taken place.

The vessel A may be suitably covered to confine the steam within,thereby to hasten the cleaning process.

Having thus fully described my invention, in order to enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and properly use it, Idesire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. Thewithin described improved washboiler, consisting of the vessel A,provided with the perforated bottom B, resting upon its rim b at asuitable distance above the bottom of said vessel A, said bottom beingprovided with a series of channels, C, and with the tapering inclinedtubes D D', connected by the bends d d', and the horizontal tube E,

having the nozzles f, the whole constructed and arranged in a mannersubstantially as described, for the purpose stated.

2. The combination, with the perforated bottom B and channels G, of thetwo tapering tubes D D', and the connecting-tube E provided with thenozzles f, as described, for the use and purpose stated.

3. The combination, with the perforated bottom B, supported at properdistance above the bottom of the liquid-containing vessel A, of the twotapering tubes D D', and the connecting-tube E, provided with thedischargenozzles f, said tubes D D' being arranged centrally on bothsides of said bottom, and rearwardly inclined, and the nozzles f,arranged with their axial line in correspondence with that of said tubesD D', substantially as described, for the object stated.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have heretoset my hand and affixed my seal in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

W. H. HOPKINS. [L. s.] Attest:

MICHAEL J. STARK, WILLIAM E. SKINNER.

